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ETA Publishes Updated H-2B Foreign Labor Recruiter List

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification within the Employment and Training Administration has recently posted an
updated H-2B Foreign Labor Recruiter List with cumulative cases from July
28, 2016 through December 31, 2016. Quarterly updates will normally be
posted by the end of the month immediately following the close of the
quarter.

BLS Examines STEM Occupations: Past, Present and Future

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has recently published a look at STEM occupations – past, present and future. The authors note in the introduction:

Not that long ago, if you were planning a trip to another country, you would probably go to the library to do some research, pick up a foreign phrasebook, and go to the travel agent to book your flight and a hotel. But now, all you have to do is reach for a smart phone. We made just a short leap in time, but an enormous leap in technological advances. Today, it would be difficult to imagine our daily lives without smart phones, applications (“apps”), online shopping, and many other conveniences made possible by the men and women working in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations. This Spotlight on Statistics uses data from Occupational Employment Statistics and Employment Projections to take a closer look at STEM occupations.

U.S. Conference of Mayors, Wells Fargo Announce 2017 CommunityWINS Grant Program; Job Creation, Job Training, and Business Development among Categories; Applications Due March 17

The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Wells Fargo has recently announced a call for nominations for the 2017 CommunityWINS grant program, aimed at accelerating neighborhood revitalization, economic development, and job creation in municipalities across the country.

Launched in 2015, the CommunityWINS grant program includes a $3 million investment by the Wells Fargo Foundation over three years. CommunityWINS grant program is administered by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation.

Through a competitive application process, the USCM will determine eligibility and administer grant funds to eligible nonprofits in six cities to support neighborhood revitalization, economic development and job creation initiatives.

USCM member cities can nominate up to three eligible nonprofit initiatives or programs that address one of the following categories:

Neighborhood stabilization – projects designed to stimulate growth and stability while assisting in the removal of blight and the rebuilding of neighborhoods.

Economic development – projects designed to promote business development.

Job creation – projects designed to aid in local job creation or assist in job training.

Grant requirements, application details, application checklists, and the online application forms are available now at usmayors.org/communitywins. Applications must be submitted by March 17, 2017.

The CommunityWINS grant program collaboration between the USCM and Wells Fargo follows a national alliance formed in 2011 to address foreclosure prevention, property disposition, homeownership promotion and community development. The three-year alliance was forged to address housing challenges through strategies developed by Wells Fargo.

Energy Department Launches New Manufacturing USA Institute Focused on Recycling and Reusing Materials; Notes Potential Impact on Training and Jobs for American Workers

As part of the Manufacturing USA initiative, the Energy Department this week announced its new Reducing Embodied-energy and Decreasing Emissions (REMADE) Institute, which will be headquartered in Rochester, New York and led by the Sustainable Manufacturing Innovation Alliance. REMADE will leverage up to $70 million in federal funding, subject to appropriations, and will be matched by $70 million in private cost-share commitments from over 100 partners.

The REMADE Institute will focus on driving down the cost of technologies needed to reuse, recycle and remanufacture materials such as metals, fibers, polymers and electronic waste and aims to achieve a 50 percent improvement in overall energy efficiency by 2027. These efficiency measures could save billions in energy costs and improve U.S. economic competitiveness through innovative new manufacturing techniques, small business opportunities, and offer new training and jobs for American workers.

“The REMADE Institute is a key example of how public-private partnerships like Manufacturing USA are critical to advancing America’s low-carbon economy and strengthening manufacturing industries across the country,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “This Institute will be an important catalyst to leverage innovation and energy efficient technologies that will reduce harmful emissions while creating jobs and building America’s 21st century economy.”

U.S. manufacturing accounts for nearly 25 percent of the nation’s total annual energy use. The physical products that are created as a result of manufacturing embody most of that energy. The research and deployment of cost-effective technologies that could reduce the energy used in materials production could offer energy savings of up to 1.6 quadrillion BTU annually in the U.S.– more than the electricity, oil and other energy consumed by New Hampshire, Hawaii, Delaware, Rhode Island, Washington, D.C. and Vermont combined.

Extracting raw materials like steel and aluminum for manufacturing is energy intensive as is the manufacturing process used to make products with these materials. By enabling recycling and remanufacturing (the rebuilding of original products using a combination of reused or recycled parts) technologies, the Institute will dramatically reduce life-cycle energy consumption for products and improve overall manufacturing efficiencies. The focus also includes new ways for information collecting; gathering, identification and sorting of end-of-life and waste materials; separating mixed materials; removal of trace contaminants and robust and cost-effective reprocessing and disposal methods.

The institutes continue to attract new business investment to their regions, develop cutting-edge technology and train American workers to apply new skills to our growing manufacturing sector. To date, the federal government’s commitment of more than $920 million has been matched by more than $1.87 billion in non-federal investment. For more information about the REMADE Institute and participating organizations, visit Energy.gov.

ETA Provides Revised Program Year 2016 Planning Instructions and Allotments for SCSEP National Grantees

The Employment and Training Administration has issued Change 3 to Training and Employment Guidance Letter 18-05. This TEGL provides the newly awarded national and set-aside Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP_ grantees with the allocations and the process and procedures for requesting Optional Special Requests (OSR) for the third and fourth quarters of Program Year (PY) 2016.

ETA Publishes 2017 Adverse Effect Wage Rates for H-2A Workers

The Employment and Training Administration has published a notice announcing the 2017 Adverse Effect Wage Rates (AEWRs) for the employment of temporary or seasonal nonimmigrant foreign workers (H-2A workers) to perform agricultural labor or services.

ETA has also published a notice announcing the 2017 Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) for the employment of temporary or seasonal nonimmigrant foreign workers (H-2A workers) to perform herding or production of livestock on the range.

This Department of Justice has recently announced a funding opportunity under the Smart on Juvenile Justice: Enhancing Youth Access to Justice"
initiative will provide funding to (1) develop and implement standards of
policy and practice to effectively manage well-resourced, statewide
juvenile indigent defense systems; (2) develop state or regional resource
centers to help state, tribal, and local juvenile defense systems enhance
the quality of legal representation, leverage resources, and collect and
analyze data to measure the effectiveness of specific initiatives; and (3)
support community- based nonprofit organizations that provide direct civil
legal services, mentoring, and reentry planning to youth in out-of-home
placement who are transitioning or have recently transitioned back to their
families and communities. The organizations would provide the youth with
direct civil legal services, mentoring, and collective advocacy strategies
to address the collateral consequences of justice system involvement and
overcome barriers to securing housing, education, and employment to reduce
recidivism. This initiative will provide cost-effective and innovative
training for the juvenile indigent defense bar, including public defenders
and court-appointed counsel working on behalf of juvenile indigent
defendants, particularly in traditionally underserved locations, including
rural areas.

The Department has identified $3,800,000 in funding for support of this
initiative. Applications are due by March 2, 2017.

Runaway and Homeless Youth: HHS/ACF Publishes Final Rule

The Administration for Children and Families within the Department of Health and Human Services has recently published a final rule reflecting existing statutory requirements in the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act and changes made via the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act of 2008. More specifically, the rule establishes program performance standards for Runaway and Homeless Youth grantees providing services to eligible youth and their families. Revisions have been made to the rule regarding additional requirements that apply to the Basic Center, Transitional Living, and Street Outreach Programs, including non-discrimination, background checks, outreach, and training. Furthermore, the rule updates existing regulations to reflect statutory changes made to the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, and updates procedures for soliciting and awarding grants. This final rule makes changes to the proposed rule published on April 14, 2014, and is in response to public comments recommending ways to improve the rule.

Census Bureau Announces Establishment of the 2020 Advisory Committee; Invites Nominations of Individuals by January 19

The Census Bureau 2020 Advisory Committee will advise the Director of the Census Bureau on the full range of 2020 Census programs including an incremental transition from current state to target state, along with operationalizing methods and new technology across multiple locations and time zones to deliver a secure and successful, cost-effective 2020 Census. The Committee will advise the Census Bureau through the 2020 Census Lifecycle on the identification of new strategies for improved census operations and on ways to increase 2020 Census participation and beyond.<

The Committee will address census policies, methodology, tests, operations, communications/messaging, and other activities to ascertain needs and best practices to improve the 2020 Census program. The Committee will provide advice on 2020 Census programs that will use a complete address list, generate the largest possible self-response, employ administrative records and third-party data, and reengineer nonresponse follow-up.

The Committee will review and provide formal recommendations and feedback on key operations and the efficacy of planned and implemented innovations related to accurately counting every person living in America while saving taxpayer money.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has published a rule to continue its efforts to narrow the digital divide in low-income communities served by HUD by providing, where feasible and with HUD funding, broadband infrastructure to communities in need of such infrastructure. In this final rule, HUD requires installation of broadband infrastructure at the time of new construction or substantial rehabilitation of multifamily rental housing that is funded or supported by HUD, the point at which such installation is generally easier and less costly than when undertaken as a stand-alone effort. The rule, however, recognizes that installation of broadband infrastructure may not be feasible for all new construction or substantial rehabilitation, and, therefore, it allows limited exceptions to the installation requirements. Installing unit-based broadband infrastructure in multifamily rental housing that is newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated with or supported by HUD funding will provide a platform for individuals and families residing in such housing to participate in the digital economy and increase their access to economic opportunities.?

SBA Announces Opening of "Aspire Challenge" with Objective to Provide Entrepreneurial Development and Access to Resources for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals / Non-Violent Ex-Offenders

The Small Business Administration has recently announced the "Aspire Challenge" -- a prize competition conducted under the America Competes Act. The objective of the prizes is to spur the development and provision of innovative entrepreneurial development and access to capital resources for formerly incarcerated individuals or those who are non-violent ex-offenders

Applications are due by February 13; winners will be announced no later than March 14.

SBA notes, in part:
This challenge competition is separate but builds on the momentum of the Aspire Entrepreneurship Initiative, a public-private partnership announced in August 2016 between the SBA, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and JUSTINE Petersen. The three-year initiative is a pilot to test entrepreneurship education programming and microloan assistance through SBA Microloan Intermediaries to formerly incarcerated individuals in St. Louis, MO, Chicago, IL, Louisville, KY and Detroit, MI. The goal of the Aspire Challenge is to source additional Start Printed Page 96156innovative solutions in other areas in the United States beyond these four metropolitan areas. This challenge also aligns with other actions identified by the Federal Interagency Reentry Council, a cabinet-level working group to support the federal government''s efforts to promote public safety and economic opportunity through purposeful cross-agency coordination and collaboration.
Through the design and delivery of intensive entrepreneurial education and increased access to micro-loans, the Aspire Challenge will serve as a catalyst to leverage business formation as a tool for economic mobility and self-employment for the formerly incarcerated. This competition is designed to award prizes to entrepreneurial support organizations that propose innovative and sustainable solutions to equipping the formerly incarcerated with the education and technical assistance they need to start and grow a business.

SBA Announces Third Year of 'InnovateHER: Innovating for Women Challenge'

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is conducting the third year of the InnovateHER: Innovating for Women Challenge (the Challenge), pursuant to the America Competes Act, for entrepreneurs to create a product or service that has a measurable impact on the lives of women and families, the potential for commercialization, and fills a need in the marketplace.

The Challenge launched on December 29, 2016. The initial round of the Challenge will take the form of local competitions that will be run across the country beginning December 29, 2016, and ending no later than April 29, 2017. The host organizations running the local competitions must select and submit one winner from each local competition to SBA, along with a nomination package, no later than May 12, 2017. SBA will then select up to ten finalists. The top three winners will be announced no later than July 27, 2017, following a live pitch competition.

SBA Announces January through June 2017 Meetings of the Federal Advisory Committee for the Small Business Centers Program

The Small Business Administration has announced the information for the 2nd
and 3rd quarter meetings of the Federal Advisory Committee for the Small
Business Development Centers Program. The meetings will be open to the
public; however, advance notice of attendance is required.

DATES:

Tuesday, January 10, 2017, at 1:00 pm EST

Sunday, February 5, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. EST (In person)

Tuesday, March 21, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. EST

Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. EST

Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. EST

Tuesday, June 20, 2017, at 1:00 p.m. EST

All meetings will be held via conference call with the exception of Sunday,
February 5, 2017. February meeting will be held at the Crystal City Marriot
at Reagan National, 1999 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Arlington, VA 22202.

Japan Eyes Online Public Database for Career Exploration; Labor Ministry to Support Job Seekers Using O*NET Model

From the Nikkei Asian Review

?Job seekers and students in Japan will soon have free access to a government-hosted website with a trove of occupational information such as required skills and average compensation.

Japan's labor ministry plans to launch the one-stop website as early as 2018, modeling it after O-NET, a comprehensive occupational database sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor since 2003.

The U.S. site covers information on some 900 occupations, describing necessary abilities and knowledge, and features?a numerical profiling system based on?interests and preferences to help guide job seekers toward suitable occupations.

The Japanese ministry will soon determine the types of information to be included in its free online database, such as personal characteristics most suited for a particular occupation. Unlike private-sector job search engines, the envisioned website will not accommodate user comments or reviews and provide only objective data, the ministry said.

In the 21st century data-driven economy, reliance on data and data analytics to improve outcomes has become the driving force behind most decision making across all sectors, including government, business, education, and research. Because government leaders are demanding greater transparency and accountability of their resources in light of tightening federal, state, and local budgets, access to reliable, accurate data is more important than ever.

To encourage data sharing among agencies and researchers within states, the Center for Regional Economic Competitiveness (CREC) launched a two-year State Data Sharing Initiative (SDS Initiative). The SDS Initiative research aims to situate administrative data, and the intra-state sharing of such data, as invaluable resources for enhancing evidence-based policymaking efforts, enabling rigorous policy analysis, and improving program outcomes.

A January 25 webinar has been designed to help launch the CREC website www.statedatasharing.org and introduce the accompanying research paper: Strengthening evidence-based policymaking by increasing support for data sharing, Promoting Evidence-Based Policymaking in the States by Sharing Administrative Data.

STEM + Computing Partnerships: NSF Announces Funding Opportunity

The National Science Foundation has announced the availability of $49,895,000 to support approximately 25 to 35 grants under STEM + Computing Partnerships (STEM+C). Proposals are due by March 29, 2017.

The STEM+C program seeks to build evidence to inform development of new pedagogical strategies and pedagogical environments for integrating computing and computational thinking in the teaching and learning of pre-K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and/or to integrate science, mathematics, and engineering in the applied teaching and learning of computer science in pre-K-12 education. More ...